Ladder



M. RATEAU June l5, 1965 LADDER .Fued'NovI 29. 196s Mfmcff. 47540 UnitedStates Patent O 3,189,124 LADDER Marcel Rateau, Chateau de St.Christophe, PuehdAgenais, Lot-et-Garenne, France Filed Nov. 29, 1963,Ser. No. .326,S72 Claims priority, application Belgium, Nov. 311, 1962,625,530 3 Claims. (Cl. MS2- 170) This invention relates to a ladder ableto be used without top bearing.

One object of this invention is to provide a ladder comprising astraight ladder and two stabilizing arms, of which the upper respectiveends are connected to said straight ladder at a point on the lower halfof said straight ladder. Thus, the upper part of the ladder is clear andmay be placed near any work place even when obstacles are under theladder.

Another object is to provide such a ladder of which said two stabilizingarms are divergent from the plane of said straight ladder, on which theupper end of said stalilizing arms is articulated, whereby saidlstabilizing arms may be placed by pivoting near the plane of saidstraight ladder and` consequently the dimensions of the ladder assemblyare very reduced for transport and ranglng.

According to another object of the invention, a pullrod, articulated atits ends, links each of said stabilizing arms and said straight ladder,near the foot thereof.

With the above objetcs in view and others such as will be referred to,the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts,such as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of theinvention:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of said embodiment.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse view of the same in folded position, and iFIGURE 3 is a schematic transverse view, on a reduced scale, of the sameembodiment in use.

According to the invention and as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the laddercomprises a straight ladder 1 provided with double lateral uprights 2and 3, a set of rungs 4 horizontally xed between the uprights 2, a setof rungs 5 horizontally ixed between the uprights 3 and a set ofcross-bars 6 fixed between the uprights 2 and 3. On each upright 3 areattached mountings 7 adapted to the articulation on the free branches 9of a support 8 somewhat U-shaped. The horizontal branch of the support 8passes through a tube 10 and is free to rotate therein. Each end of thetube 10 is rigid with the upper end of a stabilizing arm 11 and 12respectively.

Each stabilizing arm 11 and 12 is formed with a triangular beam of whichthe free end 13 and 14 is bent up. In the midst of each arm 11 and 12 issecured a set of plates 15 and 16 respectively. Each set of plates 15and 16 is adapted to strengthen the corresponding arm and to support thearticulation of the end of the pull-rod 17 and 18, respectively. Theother ends of the pullrods 17 and 18 are rigid with a common cross-bar,which passes through a horizontal tube 19 and is free to rotate therein.The tube 19 is xed between the uprights 2 and 3 of the straight ladder1, near the foot thereof. A sole 20 is iixed or hinged to this foot.

The manner of use of the improved ladder, according to the invention, isdescribed hereinafter. FIGURE l shows the ladder assembly in position ofservice. At a distance from the straight ladder 1, the stabilizing arms11 and 12 diverge from each other, so that the respective raised ends 13and 14 of the arms 11 and 12 and the sole 20 rest on the ground, at thethree apices of an isosceles triangle, inside of which the top of thestraight ladder 1 Patented June 15, 1965 and the load resting on thisladder project, whereby a considerable stability is obtained. Fortransport and positioning, it suiices to pivot upwards the support 8 andconsequently the upper ends of the arms 11 and 12. As the pull-rods 17and 1S are articulated, the plane of the arms 11 and 12 comes near theplane of the straight ladder 1; and the sole 20 and the arm ends 13 and14 rest on the ground, at the apices of a triangle of which the surfaceis large enough for a good stability of the assembly thus folded.

FIGURE 3 shows schemtaically a ladder 21 similar to the preceding oneand the stabilizing arms 23 of which are disposed on each side of anobstacle, a tree 22 for example. As the stabilizing varms 23 aredivergent from each other, it is clear that the top of the ladder 21 maybe disposed so that it reaches all the branches of the tree 22,notwithstanding the presence of the trunk and lower boughs of the tree.Thus an important advantage is obtained with respect to known ladders.Effectively, it is not possible to bring a single ladder to bear againstfragile structures. With a double ladder, the user may not face the workplace, namely when the ground Vis not clear underneath.

According to the invention, the ladder may be used in the most variedsituations and particularly for performing work on young trees, such asfruit-trees for in-V stance.

Metal welded tube assembly may be used for building the ladder,according to the invention; thus the highest strength is obtained withthe lowest weight. However Various elements, such as metal or plasticprofiles or wood pieces are usable for the ladder structure.

An extensible ladder may take the place of the straight ladder 1 or 21.

I claim:

1. A ladder comprising a straight ladder section, stabilizing arms,first link means articulately interconnected at opposite ends thereofwith a midportion of said straight section and with the upper ends ofsaid stabilizing arms, the length of said iirst link means being suchthat in one position of said link means when said link means eXtendsdownwardly from said straight section the upper ends ofsaid stabilizingarms contact a lower portion of said straight section, and second linkmeans articulately interconnecting the base of said straight section anda portion of said stabilizing arms below said upper ends.

2. A ladder as claimed in claim 1, [and a supporting foot articulatelyinterconnected to the base of said straight section.

3. A ladder as claimed in claim 1, said rst link means comprising afirst single U-shaped member having a first transverse portion, a tirsttubular socket carried by said upper ends, said first transverse portionbeing disposed in said rst tubular socket, said second link meanscomprising a second single U-shaped member having a second transverseportion, a second tubular socket carried by the base of said straightsection, said second transverse portion being disposed in said secondtubular ocket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 163,114 5/75Stichter 182-165 1,727,211 9/ 29 Marlatt 182-127 1,812,119 6/31 Rue182-180 FOREIGN PATENTS 69,957 9/ 49 Denmark.

HARRISIN R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. REINALDO P. MACHADO, Examiner.

1. A LADDER COMPRISING A STRAIGHT LADDER SECTION, STABILIZING ARMS,FIRST LINK MEANS ARTICULATELY INTERCONNECTED AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOFWITH A MIDPORTION OF SAID STRAIGHT SECTION AND WITH THE UPPER ENDS OFSAID STABILIZING ARMS, THE LENGTH OF SAID FIRST LINK MEANS BEING SUCHTHAT IN ONE POSITION OF SAID LINK MEANS WHEN SAID LINK MEANS EXTENDSDOWNWARDLY FROM SAID STRAIGHT SECTION THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID STABILIZINGARMS CONTACT A LOWER PORTION OF SAID STRAIGHT SECTION, AND SECOND LINKMEANS ARTICULARLY INTERCONNECTING THE BASE OF SAID STRAIGHT SECTION ANDA PORTION OF SAID STABILIZING ARMS BELOW SAID UPPER ENDS.